veteran affairs

Can VA Fix Backlog by Going Paperless?

Posted on 03/25/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | Money & SavingsBy Kevin Freking of The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Although the number of pending veterans’ disability claims keep soaring, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki on Sunday said he’s committed to ending the backlog in 2015 by replacing paper with electronic records. Veterans receive disability compensation for injuries or illness incurred during their active military service. About 600,000 claims, or 70 percent, are considered backlogged. The number of claims pending for more than 125 days has nearly quadrupled under Shinseki’s …

VA Grants Burial Rights for Same-Sex Oregon Couple

Posted on 02/15/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | Home & Family | PoliticsBy Steven Dubois of The Associated Press PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs has decided to allow the same-sex spouse of a member of the military to be buried in a U.S. national cemetery. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki used his discretionary authority to allow the burial of Nancy Lynchild’s ashes, the agency said Thursday. U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who called Shinseki last month to lobby for the action, said the Oregon couple will become the first …

70% of Veterans Who Commit Suicide Are 50+

Posted on 02/1/2013 by | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | Home & Family | Personal HealthBy Kevin Freking of The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of veterans who commit suicide each day is more than 20 percent higher than the Department of Veterans Affairs has previously estimated, but the problem doesn’t appear to be getting worse for veterans compared with the rest of the country, according to a VA study released Friday. Indeed, the overall percentage of suicides by veterans has declined in recent years. VA researchers say the trend suggests that efforts …